Tao Downtown

Whenever I have a special occasion or a get together with friends and no one has a suggestion, Tao is my go-to place. Not to be mistaken for having a negative connotation, but, I just love their food, know what to expect and it’s ALWAYS jumpin’ no matter what day of the week it is. Not to mention, you are likely to spot a celeb or two while dining.

For someone like myself that likes to be more low key, this can be a good or bad thing. It’s like dinner at a club. Some days people just don’t feel like all of that. However, the food is Delish!

I generally go to Tao located on 58th and Park Ave. in NYC or when in Las Vegas, the one in the Venetian Hotel.

Tao Downtown opened on October 10th, 2013 and I didn’t even give it a second thought. My friend J and I were going to dinner Friday evening and both agreed we wanted some good fried rice (we have a thing for some good cooked rice). I went to open table and tried making reservations on 58th St. but of course…it was booked. However, Tao Downtown had available reservations and was actually in walking distance. Initially, I was a little ehhhh, saying to myself, this isn’t the good Tao, it’s bootleg…

Upon arriving they have the same coat check and check in procedure but I noticed the restaurant set up was very different. While they have a lounge and an even level dining room, they also have this ascending level seating that almost reminds you of bleachers or stadium seating that gives you a great view of the whole dining area. Another noted changes is that the menu is TOTALLY different. I was almost about to be mad, until I finally found something else to order and ding, ding, ding, ding…Tao Downtown for the win!!!

I may even like this one better than the OG.

As always, your best bet is to make reservations because it’s party central.